Duncan, Craddick Discuss New Session's Major Issues
By: Nick Ochsner
Updated: January 8, 2013
Lawmakers kicked off the 83rd session of the Texas Legislature on Tuesday. As hundreds crowded onto the floor and into the galleries of each chamber to watch their friends and loved ones take their new oath of office, issues were mounting for the State of Texas.
"The biggest issue this session, like last session, is money," Craddick said. "Even though we're going to have more money this time, we're not going to have enough to cover the problems from last time."
On Monday, the State Comptroller announced the state will have about $101 Billion dollars this biennium, a significant increase from what lawmakers had to dole out two years ago.
"Every once in a while its not so bad to have a deficit so you can really evaluate priorities," Sen. Robert Duncan said. "We did that last session."
Duncan and Craddick both seemed to think this session's hottest topic will be school funding, something lawmakers tried to address two years ago and a disagreement now the subject of multiple lawsuits filed by rural school districts across the state.
"The rural areas of the state need to make sure they have advocates at the table to ensure rural schools have the same opportunities as suburban schools," Duncan said.
In addition to school funding, Duncan and Representative Charles Perry from Lubbock both said they hoped to invest more in a sustainable water infrastructure across the state.
Craddick has already re-filed a bill to outlaw texting a drive; the same one that passed last session but got vetoed by Gov. Rick Perry.
"The biggest issue this session, like last session, is money," Craddick said. "Even though we're going to have more money this time, we're not going to have enough to cover the problems from last time."
On Monday, the State Comptroller announced the state will have about $101 Billion dollars this biennium, a significant increase from what lawmakers had to dole out two years ago.
"Every once in a while its not so bad to have a deficit so you can really evaluate priorities," Sen. Robert Duncan said. "We did that last session."
Duncan and Craddick both seemed to think this session's hottest topic will be school funding, something lawmakers tried to address two years ago and a disagreement now the subject of multiple lawsuits filed by rural school districts across the state.
"The rural areas of the state need to make sure they have advocates at the table to ensure rural schools have the same opportunities as suburban schools," Duncan said.
In addition to school funding, Duncan and Representative Charles Perry from Lubbock both said they hoped to invest more in a sustainable water infrastructure across the state.
Craddick has already re-filed a bill to outlaw texting a drive; the same one that passed last session but got vetoed by Gov. Rick Perry.
